WO2010/054860 A2 discloses a locking unit of the generic type for a vehicle seat. Such a locking unit comprises a rotary latch which is pivotably supported about a pivot axis for locking with a locking bolt. A catch detent which is pivotably supported about another pivot axis secures the rotary latch in the locked state of the locking unit. A pivotably supported clamping element which is referred to as a tolerance compensation detent applies to the rotary latch a closing moment and thereby eliminates any play which is present between the rotary latch and the locking bolt.
DE 20 2011 100 040 U1 also discloses a locking unit of the generic type for a vehicle seat. The locking unit has two bearing pins which serve to pivotably support the rotary latch and the catch detent and the clamping element. The two bearing pins also serve to secure the locking unit to the structural component of the vehicle seat and are constructed to be approximately hollow-cylindrical. In order to secure the locking unit to the structural component of the vehicle seat, there are further provided two screws which each engage through one of the two bearing pins and which are screwed into the structural component or an additional nut.
In the mentioned known locking units, the rotary latch has four contours which fulfill different functions. A retention contour is used to retain the locking bolt in the locked state. A support contour cooperates with the clamping element in order to discharge play and with the catch detent in order to secure the rotary latch in the locked state. A contour for retaining in the open state cooperates with the catch detent in order to secure the catch detent in the unlocked state. A closure contour is used during unlocking of the locking unit in order to eject the locking bolt. When the locking unit is locked, the locking bolt moves into abutment with the closure contour and thereby pivots the rotary latch into the closed position thereof and the locking unit moves into the locked state.
In the locked state of the locking unit, the rotary latch is in the closed position and the retention contour retains the locking bolt. In the unlocked state of the locking unit, the rotary latch is in the open position.
Such locking units are used, for example, to lock a backrest of a vehicle seat to a seat member and/or to a bodywork or structure of a vehicle or to lock the vehicle seat to the bodywork or structure of the vehicle.
It is also possible to lock engine hoods, rear flaps or doors of vehicles with such locking units to the bodywork or structure of the vehicle.
For example, DE 10 2006 003 022 A1, DE 10 2009 021 297 A1, DE 103 27 448 A1 and DE 10 2009 037 037 A1 disclose such locking units which are also referred to as locks.